History of a Mystery
by KaraKurama
Summary: The story of the Fourteenth is a blur. Even the Bookman clan doesn't have record of his birth, fight with the Earl, or death, but the Order found out years before Allen ever came along.
1. The Birth

History of a Mystery

**NOTE:** _This is a fictional work based off the events of D. Gray-Man. I understand that the information in here may or may not be true to canon, but there are a lot of assumptions I made to make this work. An example would be that Mana adopted the name Walker later in life. For this, I needed to find another family name for him. I also assumed he was NOT British. He's German in this story. My apologies in advance if this is not correct (which it most likely is not) but that's how the story is going to work._

_Otherwise I hope you like my newest fic _.

Part One: Segment One

-The Birth-

Screams could be heard through town as a young mother lay in her bed. A midwife sat by her bedside, coaching her through the most intense pain a woman could bear: childbirth. Her cries of pain fell upon the ears of the other two inhabitants of the house, both of whom sat in the main room outside the door. The child's father held another, an older son, while both worried over the woman's health. The child could only tremble as his father tried to comfort him. The small cottage-style house held almost no relief from the agonizing wait that befell so many births of the time. Each minute seemed like years to both. The darkness inside the house was augmented by the night outside, broken only be a few kerosene lamps sitting on the tables throughout the house. The screams grew louder and more labored until a new, more fragile scream joined and then replaced them. The now newborn baby could be heard over even the howling wind outside.

After a few minutes the midwife emerged from the room. Her face was strained and her cheeks glistened with sweat from the stifling heat in the room. She approached the child's father in the center of the room and bowed her head, "You have a healthy baby boy, Mr. Schäfer."

"And what of my wife? How is she?" the man asked. The midwife cringed and looked towards the floor then to the boy attached to his father's arm, "She didn't make it, sir. I'm sorry, but the labor was too much for her."

Schäfer looked flustered. The town's midwife had just told him his wife was dead and he had no idea how to react.

"Mana, go to your room. We need some private discussion time, please." The ten year old left his father's side and disappeared into his bedroom to the left of the house.

Once the door latched closed the father looked back at the midwife, "So you're telling me that my wife is dead?" The look of disbelief was quickly melting to sadness as the woman nodded slowly.

"Yes, the strain from the birth was too much. I believe she may have hurt herself internally, but only a doctor would be able to tell you that for sure. I'm sorry, Mr Schäfer."

Back in the bedroom, young Mana sat on his bed in silence. His mother had just died while his little brother was being born. He could hear crying from his mother's bedroom.

'That must be the baby. I wonder what father will name him,' he thought.

Just as these thoughts were about to put him to sleep he heard a shout from the family room. He bolted to the door and wretched it open just in time to see his father raise a gun to his head. The midwife screamed as the trigger was pulled. The man fell limply to the floor as both onlookers screamed. The crying from the other room grew louder as the baby reacted to the loud noise. The last thing Mana saw before everything went black was the midwife rushing to his side.

-Elsewhere-

"Master!" A young girl ran into a small room where a round man sat the bench of a piano. He turned slowly to look at her, "Hello, Rhoad. Any news? You seem excited about something."

"Yes, master Earl. A new Noah has been born. I've never heard of this happening, have you?"

"Indeed not," the Earl said with his huge grin, "Never before have there been fourteen Noah alive at once. This will be interesting."

END

_This is the first half of the prologue to the storyline. My goal is to make this 14 chapters long for obvious reasons and that includes dividing my ideas into sectors._

_As you may have seen, I chose the name Schäfer for Mana's family because it translates to Sheppard and I find that name befitting of a Noah._

_Please review! I love feedback. Just try to be nice about it. I'm new to DGM and this was a really hard concept for me to do, especially since Neah has just now been formally introduced in the manga and thus has almost no development._


	2. The Search

History of a Mystery

**Note: **_A lot of the information in this story is taken canon from the manga, so if you have not yet read the manga then I don't suggest you get yourself too indulged in this story since there's a major spoiler alert._

**-The Search-**

"_Master, a new Noah has been born."_

"_Is that so, Rhode?" The Earl looked at the younger Noah, "That's strange. We have thirteen already."_

"_I've noticed that. I didn't even know such a thing was possible."_

"_We won't know anything about him," the Earl said calmly, "This new Noah will be a complete surprise. We must keep watch. There will be no way to know who he is until he awakens."_

"_We've never had a problem finding brothers and sisters before." Rhode said with a slight curiosity. The Earl put his hand on her shoulder, his everlasting grin an odd relief._

"_We knew who we were looking for before. The family is recognizable because we've all met before. Since a fourteenth has never existed we can't know who it is or how to find them." Rhode gave only a small shrug before turning to look up at him._

"_What shall we do, brother?"_

_The grin on the Earl's face grew bigger, "We wait. A human's life span is nothing to us. He'll be here soon enough."_

Mana wandered through the streets carrying his newborn baby brother. The previous night had completely blurred from his memory. All he knew came from the note he'd found on the nightstand once he'd woken up on his bed. That was all he carried on him; no clothes, no money. He and his brother, whom the letter named Neah, had only the clothes on their backs and the note left for them by the midwife. Mana tried not to look at it if he could help it. The dark words written on that paper would remain with him forever; his mother's death, his father's suicide, all because of this child he now carried in his arms. He didn't blame Neah. The baby hadn't asked to be born, nor had he meant to kill their parents.

The baby had stopped crying hours ago, but Mana didn't dare move him to see if he was still alive. It was only when he heard the soft cooing on his chest that he knew his brother was okay. He had to find a hospital, a doctor, a midwife, anyone would could help him care for the baby before he died in the harsh conditions.

The wind was howling through the alleys as a storm blew in. Mana ducked into a corner to shelter them. It was then that he could hear someone walking down the alleyway towards their little corner. Mana cringed as the stranger moved closer. Just as he braced himself against the inevitable fight with a grown up, the man stopped with a smile, "You're all wet, little one. Come with me. My wife and I will be happy to have you at our house tonight." He held his hand out to the scared boy with a tender aura.

Mana stood in silence shaking from both the cold rain and fear. A soft push on his chest signaled that baby Neah was awake, "What of my brother, sir? I think he may be sick."

"I'll call on the doctor and have him examined if you like."

"Really?" the teary eyed Mana managed to squeak out. The smile on the man's face grew wider before he gave a quick nod and offered his hand again. Mana took it graciously and the man led him out of the alleyway to the promise of a new life.

_My apologies for the short chapter, but I am not quite in my groove yet with this story. I have lots of large plans for it but they don't occur until later on in the story. Please review and tell me what you think of it. I've done a lot of research for this story so I hope my hard work is paying off._


	3. The Awakening

History of a Mystery

**Note: **_There's a lot going on in this chapter. I've noticed that there are a lot of details revealed in DGM but some of them are a bit confusing so I have adapted to fit my story's needs. I'm getting closer to the good part of the story so please bear with me._

**-The Awakening-**

The sun was shining through the windows in the small bedroom where a young man lay in his bed. Steady streaming water ran in a stream just beyond the outer wall of the house. Splashing woke the man up and he slowly rose from bed before making his way to the main room.

"You're awake," an older man gave a smirk, "Would you like some breakfast?"

"No, I'm fine. I'm not hungry. Thanks, though," the younger man replied, "Are there any clean cloths around? I have a headache and my head is splitting."

"There are a few in the linen cupboard. Help yourself."

The young man made his way to the opposite corner of the room. He opened the small door and reached for a batch of small towels before returning to the sink to soak them in water from the pump.

"Neah, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Mana. It's just a headache." Neah sat at the table and pressed the towel to his head.

"If you're sure. I'm going into town to get some food. I should be back this afternoon."

"Okay. I won't wander too far."

Mana gave a quick nod before leaving the house. The small, two room cottage was quiet without a companion but the two brothers lived peacefully in it.

Neah sat with his head pressed in the cloth. The migrane slowly dissipated and he tossed the wet rag over the handle of the water pump. He wandered outside into the cool breeze of Fall. The leaves were falling from the few trees that dotted the landscape. The creek running behind the house was crystal clear and cold. He grabbed a small pale from the house and began moving water into the house to wash up. The process took several hours but eventually he felt refreshed. After drying off and putting on some clean clothes, Neah moved outside once more to begin chores. There wasn't much; a bit of maintenance on the house, two chickens to feed, eggs to collect, but he kept busy.

After a few hours Neah could see a group of men in black outfits making their way down the lane towards the house. At the front he could see a young man with bright red hair. Neah couldn't help but notice that there were naught but males in the group and that all had white rose crosses on their coats. He'd heard of this group before. Mana had called them 'exorcists' and explained that they traveled the world in search of a mysterious substance called Innocence. He'd never really listened, though. Somewhere deep inside him something told him that this Innocence stuff was a threat. He wondered why anyone would want to go looking for it.

The red haired boy, who Neah judged to be no older than himself, finally stopped a few feet away, "Are you the owner of this home?"

"One of them," Neah replied, "My brother and I live here together. Why are you here? Did something happen to him?"

"No. We are here because we are looking for a fragment of Innocence. We believe there may be one here in town. Have you ever noticed any strange happenings?"

Neah shook his head slowly, "No, but ever since we came here I have been ill. I'm plagued by near constant head pains centered on my forehead."

The three men behind the red haired boy murmured amongst themselves. One of them tapped him on the shoulder. He listened to what the group had to say before turning back to Neah, "You may be the host for this Innocence we're looking for. Have you ever been in contact with any unusual objects lately?"

"No. I haven't ever been to town."

"Well we plan on being here until we figure out what's going on. If anything happens please come find us."

"Okay. I'll let you know, um," Neah stumbled when he realized he didn't know the stranger's name.

"Cross," the boy said, "Marian Cross."

_Please review! I have wonderful plans for this story!_

_There are over 100 hits on this story but not a single review. Please give me feedback on what you think of the story._


	4. The Noah

History of a Mystery

**-The Noah-**

The strangers left almost as quickly as they'd arrived. Neah stood in awe as they disappeared. It was shortly afterwards that Mana came strolling down the lane with a look of concern.

"I heard from some passerby in town that a group of exorcists paid you a visit."

"Yeah. They said there's an Innocence fragment somewhere in town. Do you know anything about it?"

"No, I'm afraid I don't. There hasn't been anything unusual going on in town as far as I know. I suppose they'll be here until they find it, though."

The two brothers made their way into the house to put the food away before settling for the night.

As the weeks went by, Neah began accompanying Mana into town. It became apparent that no Innocence had been discovered since the three exorcists; Darren, Malbe, and Vahn, that accompanied Cross could be seen wandering the streets in shifts.

Neah figured out that the only time Cross himself was ever seen was on the days that Mana brought his brother around town. He seemed to be quite interested in Neah, most likely because of their unusual first meeting at the cottage. The two became close friends mostly because, at eighteen years old, Cross was closer in age to Neah, who was twenty, than Mana. The friendship was slightly strained, however, because Neah noticed that every time he was near any of the exorcists a rage like none other he'd felt came over him to such extremes that he had to leave to avoid any negative consequences. Soon after was when the oddities truly began.

The exorcists began fighting strange creatures not long after Neah began going to town. These things, which Cross explained were called Akuma, the machine type weapons of someone called the Millenium Earl. In the same breath Cross also delved into the topic of a group of people called Noah. It was during these conversations that Neah could notice his headaches becoming more frequent and intense. Finally, after weeks of searching and fighting akuma, the group found the Innocence they were looking for. However, the Noah that Cross had told him about appeared in town.

Neah and Mana had been at home preparing dinner when the fight happened. Neah was retrieving plates from the cupboard to set the table. He'd had a steadily growing migraine throughout the day and when he wasn't helping his brother he was sitting with a cloth on his head. Mana was moving through the kitchen quickly and smoothly, but stopped when he realized he was missing something.

"Neah, could you possibly run into town and get some pepper?"

"Sure. I won't be gone long."

"Thank you. See you soon."

Neah grabbed his jacket and made his way outside. The lane was dark and damp feeling. A cold breeze nipped at his already pained body as he left the shelter of home and began the journey to town alone.

The soft glow of the lamps could be seen after only a few minutes but Neah could tell something was wrong. The normally yellow glow turned orange and red. Billowing smoke rose in sheets from town. Neah took off in a dead run to see what was going on. It wasn't long before he came upon the burning town. People were scrambling around trying to find loved ones.

The head pain Neah was experiencing suddenly grew more intense. It was when he rounded the corner near the market that the cause of the blinding pain became apparent.

A large monster was floating around town causing the destruction. He recognized it as one of those akuma creatures Cross had told him about.

Through the terrible pain and noise Neah could hear someone calling his name. When he felt hands on his shoulders he realized that he'd been crouching on the ground with his head in his hands.

Cross had grabbed his shoulders and shook him out of his trance. Neah slowly stood with Cross' help. However, a strange feeling came over him. He shrugged Cross off with a sudden feeling of rage, "I'm fine, exorcist," he yelled.

The impulse frightened him. Deep inside of him a burning hatred of the exorcists was bursting forward. The rage was not his own but he could feel it grow stronger.

Cross looked almost as surprised. He hesitated to approach his friend again after being pushed off, "Are you okay? You're acting awfully odd."

"No, I'm not okay," Neah responded with a raspy voice, "There's something wrong in my head. Something making me hate you and the Innocence."

"Don't talk like that."

"I'm not joking! It gets stronger when those akuma appear. I can't explain it."

Cross' expression grew even more concerned, "You sound more like a Noah than and Innocence host."

"You think I'm a Noah?"

"I think you may be part of the reason why all this activity began. You may be the reason the Noah clan has been moving so much. It seems like they've been searching for a person the last few years instead of an object. I think you may be that person."

"What does that mean?"

"Either you know or did something you shouldn't or you're an awakening Noah. What I'm saying is you will be killed or become one of them. Judging from what you tell me, it's the latter."

The overwhelming pain hit Neah again before he could respond. His vision spotted, then blurred. He screamed at the top of his lungs. The last thing he saw before blacking out was Cross looking at him in horror as his hand reached for his belt.


	5. The Proposal

History of a Mystery

**-The Proposal-**

Neah awoke tied to the post of a column inside an inn. Cross was standing against the bar with his arms crossed and his eyes closed, "You're in trouble, Neah. I would suggest you and your brother leave town now before the Order comes after you."

"What do you mean?" The look of surprise on Neah's face was almost too much for his friend to bear.

"You awakened as a Noah right in front of me. That means you have now become our enemy."

"Your enemy? I didn't ask to become this, Cross." A look of anger flashed across Neah's face, "I could never do anything so horrible!"

Cross approached his friend with a look of sorrow, "You won't have a choice. A Noah's instinct is to destroy Innocence. That makes you a threat. They will come for you, Neah. The Noah clan will come looking for you and you will join them because it's literally a part of you."

"What about Mana? I can't leave him alone." The panic was clear on Neah's face. Cross knelt to the ground beside him, "I don't believe you will ever have to worry about him again."

"Can't I take him with me?"

"I don't know if they'd let you bring him. That's not something…"

Vahn came crashing into the inn with a panicked look, "Cross! A Noah just appeared outside. We need you out here now!"

Cross nodded to Vahn before turning back to Neah, "Hurry and get out of here. Since we're friends I'll let you go, but you need to leave this town. If I find you here again I'll have to kill you." He untied him and stood to leave, "Take Mana and go. Don't let the Noah get you."

"Why?"

Cross glanced down at the floor towards the door, "There are already thirteen existing Noah. You shouldn't exist at all. There is a potential they could kill you for that. Be careful."

Neah nodded before running out the door. Outside he could hear all four exorcists trying to fend off the Noah.

"Where is he? I know there's a new Noah in this town! Where are you hiding him, exorcists?"

"There's no Noah here but you," Cross' voice could be heard.

The Noah laughed loudly and mockingly, "You are the last people I'd expect to aide a Noah let alone hide and lie for one."

"We are hiding no one. The Innocence has been removed from this town. You have no business here, Noah."

"Believe me, I know there's a new clan member here. We can sense when another or ours awakens. You can't fool me, exorcist."

Neah could hear a shot ring out before running off into the night.

Just after reaching the edge of town, Neah noticed that the fighting had stopped. Assuming the Noah was gone he slowed to a brisk walk to save energy. Yells echoed from town and Neah could tell that one of the voices belonged to Cross.

It took only ten minutes to get to the house from where he'd stopped outside of town. The light was on despite it being incredibly late. He opened the door quietly in case Mana had fallen asleep at the table.

"Neah, is that you?" The voice could be heard from the bedroom. Neah breathed a sigh of relief that his brother was safe.

"It's me, Mana!" he yelled back.

"What took you so long?" Mana slowly walked out to the main room.

"Something came up with the exorcists."

"You're lucky Cross spared your life, Neah. By all rights they should have killed you," the older brother said darkly.

"How do you know what happened? Cross and the others are in town and they're the only ones who know." Neah replied with a look of surprise, "That and nobody beat me home. Who could have told you I'm a Noah?"

"You just did, Neah, and now he's here for you."

-END-


	6. The Confrontation

History of a Mystery

**-The Confrontation-**

The younger brother stared in shock at Mana. His silence lasted for several seconds before he finally asked, "Who's here for me?"

"I am, my dear one," a voice came from behind Neah, who jumped. The speaker came around in front of his audience, "I am the Noah of Desires and I have been sent to retrieve you"

"How did you know I…"

"We Noah know when another of our clan awakens. Those exorcists would only lie to protect a friend and I knew from weeks of observation that you were that person. You, of course, verified my assumption."

"What did you do to my brother?"

"Simple body control. He's not being harmed…unless I choose to make him hurt himself."

"Don't!" Neah took half a surprised step towards Mana.

"If you come with me I won't have to. A fourteenth Noah has never existed before. It will be interesting to see what you can do, Neah."

"You will not be taking him anywhere," said another voice. Neah recognized his friend's voice behind him.

When Cross appeared in his field of view he could see that the exorcist was incredibly beat up. His clothes were torn and his face bruised and dirty. He held his Judgment in preparation to fight.

The Noah, "Desires" as he called himself, chuckled softly, "You sure are persistent. Very well, exorcist, I'll go. My reason for being here was the Innocence and now it's gone. Master Earl will be happy to know I found our new member. We'll return for him soon, boy." He disappeared almost as suddenly as he'd arrived, leaving Neah stunned and releasing the strange hold on Mana.

Cross slumped to the floor with a thud. With his back against the wall he looked weakly up at his friend, "I'm rather surprised. The clan apparently doesn't see you as a threat. You may not have to worry about your life but you still don't want them to get to you."

Neah stood in shock, unable to really say anything. Mana moved to him and gently placed his hand on his brother's shoulder, "It's okay. We will stay together and protect each other for as long as possible."

The younger man nodded, slowly coming to his senses, "Yes, brother. I would be much obliged to have you by my side, but there's something I need to do first."

-Noah's Ark-

"No way! You found him?" An excited voice rang through the meeting room. The Earl bounced about the room before stopping to look at his companions, "We found the Fourteenth! We know where he is! I want him here by my side."

"He has the Order on his side, though. His closest friend is an exorcist. How will we get our hands on him?" Rhode asked with concern.

"He's a Noah, my dear. His instincts will bring him to us. He'll come here on his own."

All thirteen Noah were present with Matteo, the Noah of Desires who found Neah, sitting with his arms crossed at one of the windows, "Let's not forget the Innocence."

"It's unfortunate that you lost the Innocence, but you brought us a new disciple. This Fourteenth is a complete surprise."

"How do we know this new guy isn't going to do anything. We have no idea what he's capable of," came a voice from across the room. This Noah, Joyd, was sitting on the table with a giggly look on his face, "How do we know he's not gonna try to kill us?"

"He's a Noah, Joyd. How could you even possibly think he'd even be capable of wanting to kill us." Rhode called out. The Earl let out a soft laugh, "Now, now, let's not get ourselves worked up. Rhode is right. A fellow Noah isn't going to want to kill his own family."

-Mana and Neah's home-

"WHAT?" The unison shout came from both Cross and Mana. Neah cringed, but had expected the reaction. He composed himself and quietly stood firm before them, "It's for the best. Maybe I can find my place in the world."

"Why the hell would you do that? The Noah are dangerous." Cross yelled.

Neah placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, "If they don't see me as a threat then I can get information on them. If this Earl is as bad as you say he is then I might be able to help you bring him down."

"Be careful, Neah. The Earl is very smart. Don't let him on to what you're doing or he'll have you killed before you can even think of trying anything." Mana warned him. Cross nodded in agreement. The three men sat in silence before Cross got up to leave.

"If you join them then keep yourself off of the Order's radar. I don't want to have to kill you." The door closed quietly behind him.

A week passed and the two went into hiding. Mana decided to change their family name. He chose the name Walker, which took a lot of explaining. No one could figure out why a respectable German man would choose an English name. They left the small cottage on the hill behind and migrated to England.

It wasn't long afterwards that Neah prepared to leave. Mana took a job in a travelling circus as a clown to keep his appearance disguised so that the Noah could not find him in the event anything went wrong. The two brothers said goodbye to each other.

"I'll come back to you if I ever need a hand," Neah told his brother, "I'll try to keep some correspondence with Cross so make sure he knows your approximate location at all times."

"I will. Be careful. I don't want to have to bury my brother. Don't let them know you're plotting to destroy them. If would destroy me to lose you."

"I won't let them kill me."

The ark appeared the next day and that was the last time Mana saw his younger brother for nearly ten years.


	7. Introductions

History of a Mystery

**-Introductions-**

"Welcome, young man." Neah's first experience aboard the ark was that of the bubbly attitude the Earl released when he was excited, "I've been waiting for you, Neah. Come with me and you can meet all of your brothers and sisters."

He followed the Earl through the streets of a city in the shadow of a large tower. The streets were relatively straight and all seemed to lead towards said tower as if it were truly the center of the world. The Earl, Neah figured this had to be him, led him inside and the two made their way up to a large hall where a group of people all sat in waiting. He counted thirteen men and women all sitting at a large table in the center of the circular room, which was surrounded by windows. Everyone, with the exception of the Earl, seemed to look at him in awe. The uneasy feeling this produced was only kept in check by the fact that Neah knew that they weren't doing anything BUT staring.

The Earl gingerly pulled a chair out for him as they approached the table. He sat reluctantly in the middle, surrounded by his fellow clan members. A young girl with dark spiky hair approached him, much to his surprise, "My name is Rhode, the Noah of Dreams. Who might you be?"

Neah hesitated slightly before opening his mouth to answer, "Neah. My name is Neah Walker."

"No need to be shy, Neah," said the Earl. "We aren't here to hurt you. You are completely unprecedented. Never before have we had a fourteenth disciple and we are all curious about you."

"So what do you do?" Rhode asked enthusiastically.

Neah was surprised at this question, "E-excuse me?"

"Well, I control dreams, Matteo can telekinetically control people, and we each have a special power. What's yours?" Rhode said as she pointed to herself and Matteo before looking anxiously at Neah.

"Um…I don't know. I've never really done anything special and nothing's changed since I awakened. I have no idea what my 'special power' is," he thought as he rummaged through his memory for the answer. Nothing particularly outstanding came to mind.

Rhode was being thoughtful, too. She sat in silence for a moment before releasing her idea, "Well how about a talent? Anything you can do well? Maybe something your brother is jealous of?"

These people were full of odd questions, "Nothing he was jealous of, but I did have a talent before we moved to the village."

"What might that be, pray tell," another Noah chimed in.

"I can play the piano pretty well. I'm self taught and that surprised my brother because I excelled without a teacher."

It was only after he saw the shocked faces of the other Noah that Neah realized he'd been looking down at the table. Each one seemed terrified for some reason, and Neah found out why as soon as he looked back to the Earl. They were not shocked by any means. Both looked, with the exception of the Earl's ever grinning face, extremely angry for just a moment before the Earl decided to feed his opinion, "Unfortunately that talent won't do you any good here. There isn't a piano here to be played for you."

Neah knew he was lying. Cross knew things that an eighteen year old shouldn't know. He'd told him all about the Ark and how supposedly it was controlled by a central piano called the Heart. He didn't know if it was true, though. The only people who could control the Ark were the Earl and Rhode, the 'freaky little girl,' as Cross had described her. That explained the looks on their faces then. Neah wanted to investigate these claims of a central piano. Maybe he could use that to give the Exorcists access to the Noah.

"What're you thinking over there, boy?" The question startled Neah. The speaker, a thin man at the end of the table, started at him intently, "Your thoughts are a jumbled mess. Mind telling us what the negativity is for?"

"I'm not sure I know what you mean." Neah was confused.

"I can read your mind, boy, and I see a whole mass of negative thoughts. Any particular reason?" The Noah drilled him.

Neah just shook his head, "I'm just a little weary. I've heard of the Noah clan before and it just makes me a little nervous to be in the presence of all thirteen."

"Yes, but you are one of us. We won't hurt you at all unless you give us a reason to. You are our brother and a close friend. Don't fear your family, Neah," the Earl stated lovingly.

**Note: **_I know this chapter is really short, but I have this section split up to get my idea across. There's more to come!_


	8. The Fourteenth

History of a Mystery

**-The Fourteenth-**

It didn't take long for Neah to figure out his place in the clan, though he didn't dare share it with the others. The young Noah had found and snuck into the Earl's piano room while everyone was away and figured out that Cross had indeed been correct. This "heart of the ark" could be played by both the Earl and Rhode, and Neah knew that, given the correct combinations of chords, himself as well. He spent his free time building his own room in the corner of the ark that he told no one about. In it he placed a two person sofa and a piano.

As time went by Neah began building his own songs. The piano was not connected to the Heart and thus was not bothering anyone when he practiced.

Neah soon figured out that the Earl was trying very hard to keep him a secret. He didn't seem to want the Order to know that a new Noah existed, which did him little good since Cross had already alerted them, and kept him inside the ark as much as possible so he wouldn't be spotted. One by one the exorcists were destroyed until Neah was sure they were almost gone. He thought the chances of Cross still being alive were slim to none. His contacts were being disposed of and that was going to make it hard to help the Order destroy the Noah clan.

'I'll just have to figure out how to do it myself,' he thought. He'd recently learned how to use the dark matter within him to destroy Innocence, but spent almost as much time trying to figure out how to use it against the Noah as he did writing his piano score. When he wasn't doing that he was wandering around the ark to avoid suspicion. He didn't want the Earl finding out about his room. It had to stay an absolute secret. He couldn't read the future, but something in him said that it would be best for his future as the Musician, as he came to know himself, if the room remained unknown to the others.

They spent a lot of time bouncing around the world between battling exorcists and destroying Innocence. Every once in a while a Noah would come back injured, but they were a stubborn and persistent people. Neah knew he could be the same but also didn't want to let them win. 'Keep them thinking you don't mean any harm,' he would always tell himself.

On the few occasions he did manage to get out of the ark he looked for Cross. That guy was hard to find and it gave Neah a lot of grief when he thought he'd found him and ended up following dead leads time after time. The only thing that kept him from crazily sending the others after him was the fact that he knew his friend was alive. Cross was somewhere on Earth and Neah was going to find him.

The search took almost five years but Neah finally tracked Cross down in Russia. The now twenty three year old had become the youngest General in the history of the Order. He'd become a formidable opponent for the Noah clan and Neah heard about it constantly. A few things had changed in the twenty five year old's life as well. He'd finished his piano score and was working on weaving his magic into the piece. The completed form could translate his desires and emotions into the ark once connected.

After five years the two had grown nearly completely apart in personality but still held the old friendship. Cross seemed surprised to see Neah, "How did you find me? I've been untraceable for years." The Noah looked at him in silence before chuckling softly.

"I'm a different kind of Noah, Cross. I'm different than the others. I have a plan that would destroy the clan for good and keep the Order out of trouble." The look on his face was terrifying. The Neah Cross had known was gone. This man was cold and calculating even when showing his softer side.

The two had met at a pub in the middle of a small town in Russia. Neah had found him by tracking his rather numerous lovers and following them to his hideout. The harsh weather was ideal for someone to hide from others, but the Noah weren't quite so disillusioned.

"What is your plan? I trust it hasn't changed much in five years." Cross spat over a glass of wine. The two women sitting by his side giggled drunkenly as they stared at his face.

"You're correct, it hasn't. I've finally found my purpose in the clan and I'm going to use it to my advantage." The exorcist sat forward in his seat attentively. The atmosphere of their table suddenly changed and Neah could feel that it was very important that the Order know of his plan. The Noah sat down quickly at the table across from his friend, "My magic levels are near those of the Earl himself. I believe my presence here is supposed to indicate a change in power. I'm going to kill him and become the new Earl."

The wine glass shattered against the table and the women gasped dramatically before taking their leave. Even they knew this was turning into a private matter. Cross just stared at Neah intently, "Kill the Earl? What makes you think you can do that?"

"I can play the Heart, Cross. You were right, it's a piano. I can control it, too, and my magic is growing more powerful by the day. There are things I can do that I would never have dreamed of before now. I will destroy all of the Noah and bring an end to this war."

"You seem so determined to start now."

"The Earl has a plan up his sleeve, too. I think he's plotting a movement to begin destroying the Innocence not just to be rid of it, but to find the Heart. He wants to destroy all Innocence by finding the one weakness it has. If he does that the world is over. He'll bring back the Three Days of Darkness and everyone will die. I was raised to love all, not just one's self." The more lovingly and passionate face appeared again on the stone face, "I also want to keep the Akuma away. I know what he did to me as a child and I will not let him get away with it."

"What do you mean?"

Neah pulled an old, yellowed paper from his jacket pocket and opened it slowly. He handed it to Cross who read over it completely before double taking back to the middle, "You can't be serious!"


	9. The Secret

History of a Mystery

**-The Secret-**

_Neah pulled an old, yellowed paper from his jacket pocket. He handed it to Cross, who read through it thoroughly before double taking back to the middle, "You can't be serious!"_

An eerie silence filled their corner of the room. Cross was in shock at the information he'd read in the letter, "Where did you get this from?" He handed the paper back to Neah, who folded it up gently and replaced it to its jacket pocket. The man sat quietly, the tension building between the two friends as Cross waited for the answer.

"The midwife who was by my mother's side when I was born. Mana gave me this letter when I left to join the Noah clan five years ago."

"You mean to tell me that your brother knew all along? How in the world could this woman have known? It's nearly impossible to tell a Noah apart from a normal human!" Neah closed his eyes with a smile before calmly leaning over the table.

"She was an akuma, Cross. She left that letter for me knowing I was a Noah and didn't harm us because she knew it would give her away to the Earl." Cross was shocked. He'd not only learned that the man in front of him was determined to destroy his own family but that he had been born into that life unknowingly.

"We have to go find Mana," Cross spat out. "I know where he is and he needs to know what your plans are."

"I can't. You can't tell me where he is. As a Noah I would make his life way too dangerous. His location needs to be a secret for me. If something were to happen then the Earl could find him."

"Then I'll tell him, but he needs to know. It would be terrible if Mana didn't know what you were doing."Neah nodded in agreement to the idea. As the conversation continued, Neah could feel the anxiety building in the exorcist's eyes.

The Black Order was dim and murky as ever and Cross hated every minute he had to spend there. That's what he enjoyed about his job as a General; being gone for long periods of time.

As he approached the branch head's office he couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy about the whole situation. He'd been trying to convince Central for several years that a fourteenth Noah existed and was failing miserably. Now he was going to have to explain that not only does he exist but he's trying to kill the other Noah. That wouldn't go over well. He let out a little sigh and slowly walked up to the door. After a light knock Cross was prepared to leave when it opened.

'Damn,' he thought, 'I really thought I'd be able to get away with it.'

"What is it General? Is something wrong?" The branch director's voice was hoarse from days of yelling in the science department.

"No, Supervisor Mackley. I have news for you from the Noah." Cross cringed at the thought. Even though he and Neah were friends he had a hard time swallowing his alliance with the Noah.

The branch head just sighed, knowing full well where this was going, "Okay, Cross. Spit it out so I can get back to bed." The nonsense about a fourteenth Noah and his plans were going to spew from the kid's mouth again.

"I met up with the fourteenth Noah today and he's been sharing his plot to destroy the Earl with me. He's found out how to control the Noah's Ark and plans to use it to help us help him kill them."

'Yadda yadda,' Mackley thought to himself, "Oh really? How does he plan on doing that, Cross?"

The General had a look of disgust on his face. He knew Mackley wasn't listening to what he had to say, "I don't care if you don't believe me, Supervisor, but I hope to God you at least hear me. This could get very bad for everyone and I don't want that on my hands when the time comes."

Mackley sighed again and rolled his eyes, "Very well, General. I'll hear what you have to say but be warned that you'll be disgraced if this turns out to be a lie."

"Believe me, Supervisor, I wish it was."

Noah's Ark may have been brightly lit and very welcoming, but Neah always felt uneasy when he wandered around. Something about the air was foreboding to an enemy and he was going to be making himself one soon. He spent hours at a time hashing out his plans to destroy the clan. He knew he needed to interfere with the destruction of the Order, but most of the exorcists were dead anyway. There wasn't much he could do to save this generation, but Neah knew that he could help prevent the clan from destroying the next set of Innocence hosts. Of the 109 pieces of Innocence scattered throughout the world Neah had been told that twenty had been collected by the Order and fifteen had been destroyed by the clan, which left seventy four pieces of Innocence up for grabs. At full force with an extra Noah the clan wouldn't have much trouble finding the remaining pieces and destroying the world. He wouldn't allow that, though. His desire to protect his older brother fiercely overwhelmed his desire to destroy Innocence.

When Neah's technique for controlling the Ark was finally perfected he connected it to the main Heart and began making slow, inconspicuous moves to test his ability. It began with the Earl thinking he'd made a mistake when sending the Ark around the world, ending up a few hundred miles from where he wanted to be, but never really thought much of it until the day they were set to destroy one of the few people Neah didn't want to lose.

The meeting was routine, the Noah gathered in the meeting room to discuss their next target. A large group of exorcists were in Africa hunting down several Innocence fragments.

"We need to beat them to the Innocence," the Earl stated to the clan. "They are being led by a General, so we need to be on our guard."

"A General?" Neah stated in surprise. "How many are there?"

"Only one," Rhode said, "His name is Cross and he's going to be a treat to kill."


	10. The Feud

History of a Mystery

_NOTE: __I have lots of hits on this story and would really love it some of my visitors would review my story._

_Special thanks to irenia, Midori Yoshida, and Nekiare for adding this story to their favorites, and to ChikitaWolf, Cmpteraddict, Lucaila, and irenia(again) for adding this story to their alerts._

_For the rest of the nearly 1000 hits I have on this story, please review. This was a very time consuming work and I would like to feel that my devotion paid off with a good product._

**-The Feud-**

_The meeting was routine, the Noah gathered in the meeting room to discuss their next target. A large group of exorcists was in Africa hunting down several Innocence fragments._

"_We need to beat them to the Innocence," the Earl stated to the clan. "They are being led by a General, so we need to be on our guard."_

"_A General?" Neah stated in surprise. "How many are there?"_

"_Only one," Rhode said, "His name is Cross and he's going to be a treat to kill."_

"Let's go, brothers and sisters," the Earl said with glee. "Let's go destroy the exorcists!" He, along with Rhode, moved to the Heart room and sat in momentary silence as the Earl went through a momentary lapse of sanity at the piano. Rhode simply placed her hand on his shoulder and helped him calm down before he put his hands into position and began to play. A steady movement could be felt around them as the Ark finally began to move from its resting spot.

They darted around the world towards where the exorcists were headed. The Earl bounced with joy on his bench as he sent his very strong desire to destroy the world through his music and sent the Ark flying across the oceans to their destination. Unbeknownst to the Noah clan, two melodies were ringing through the control system, throwing off the course.

Neah played his song with heart, not wanting his friend to be harmed. He put all he had into throwing the path off to South America. He could hear the Earl's cries from the other end of the Ark echoing from his room. His anger was expressed in the form of an earthquake through town, shaking up everything inside the giant cube. When the Ark landed Neah ran back to the meeting room to avoid suspicion.

"I know I've been having trouble landing the Ark in the right spot but I'm off by a whole continent!" The Earl yelled in frustration as he entered the meeting room. Once all the Noah had re-gathered they stared at each other in shock. Neah kept his cool, trying not to give himself away as the culprit. Several Noah tried asking what had caused the massive earthquake but stopped when their Master had entered the room raging.

Rhode wasn't buying that the Earl was making a mistake, "Someone has to be messing with the Ark. I'm always with you when you play and no one else can control it. Maybe the Order's trying to interfere with it?"

"The Order doesn't have that kind of ability. They can't even get in here let alone change the frequencies," the Earl said coolly. "There is a traitor among us and I will find out who it is."

The atmosphere grew thick in the room. Neah could tell that he'd chosen a bad time to anger the Earl. Now he had to make sure no one found out he'd been the one to throw the Ark off course.

The ten people wandering across the Sahara stared in wonder as the large white shape materialized and then disappeared before their very eyes. Though no one else knew, Cross was fully aware of what was happening, 'Neah, do be careful. We aren't ready to lose you yet. Don't let the Earl find out you did this because that Ark would make a very big graveyard for one body.'

His thoughts wandered up to the sky and lingered there, wondering where his friend had shipped the Noah off to and whether he'd make it out of there alive.

The trouble began in the Ark several hours later.

Neah had been reading in the meeting room when the Earl approached him. The young Noah looked at his master before returning to his book, "Is there something I can help you with, Earl?"

"Your behavior has been awfully suspicious lately, Neah. You haven't been up to anything have you?" The tension was already so thick that Neah would have to slice through it to move. After a moment to take in the latest passage of his book he leaned forward and set it on the table.

"I haven't done anything out of the ordinary, Earl. Why would you think I've been up to something? You never let me out of your sight."

"You are the only one whose power we don't fully comprehend. Yes we know that you can destroy Innocence like the rest of us but you haven't shown any particular Noah emotion as of yet. The more I try to figure out what you are the more I lead myself to believe that you are responsible for everything that's gone wrong." Neah was glaring at the Earl, his anger beginning to boil over.

"No one can control the Ark but you and Rhode! How could you even think I would be doing it myself? I don't have that kind of power." Panic was beginning to set in. The Earl seemed quite (correctly) convinced that Neah had been the one to mess with the Ark and wasn't to be dissuaded.

**Notes: **_My apologies for the short chapter, but this one is meant to be more of a filler leading up to the finale. Please review! Even if you don't like it tell me why and that feedback will help me to create a better ending for the story and possibly revamp existing chapters in the future._


	11. The Request

**-The Request-**

"_No one can control the Ark but you and Rhode! How could you even think I would be doing it myself? I don't have that kind of power." Panic was beginning to set in. The Earl seemed quite (correctly) convinced that Neah had been the one to mess with the Ark and wasn't to be dissuaded._

The Earl had finally caught on that Neah was the reason for all the trouble on the Ark and was plotting revenge. Everyone knew he'd betrayed the clan by saving the exorcists' lives. Neah knew it was only a matter of time before he'd have to kill or be killed and he preferably would have liked to stay alive. He permanently sealed his room off so that no one could find it without his permission. This special honor would go to both Cross and whomever Neah chose to leave behind as his 'player.' That part would have to wait until he made his move. He'd only planned on passing his ability on if he failed in his mission.

It was when he discussed his ideas and strategies with Cross that Neah realized that he was more than likely going to get himself killed. He was going to have to kill all the other Noah individually in order to succeed.

His friend brought news from Mana as well. He was living comfortably in his profession and seemed happy enough despite not having seen his brother for nearly ten years. Cross had told Mana of Neah's plans and, as an older sibling is meant to do, Mana expressed his concern that he was putting himself in danger. Neah wrote a letter in response, saying that he would be returning to his side once everything was over and to expect him soon. He also wrote that he need not worry about him; that everything would be fine. After a final check of the letter and hoping his brother wouldn't catch the lie, Neah sent the letter with Cross to meet up with Mana and deliver his brother the news that he was planning every step and scenario. All he could hope was that Mana bought it, but that was unlikely. He'd always known when Neah was lying.

Cross appeared at the Order for a mission brief before leaving to find Mana. Mackley had decided to send him on an errand to find a possible Innocence host in England. The young general gave a sigh of relief; he wouldn't have to go too far out of his way to deliver his message. Mana was living in England not too far from where the supposed host lived. He stepped out into the rainy night, hoping the journey would be akuma-free and eventless. The Noah didn't need to know of his correspondence with Mana through Neah. He was in enough trouble as it was without them finding out he was also conspiring with the Order, not just working to save them.

The circus was set up and in between shows, but it didn't take Cross long to find the entertainer. Mana was hiding in his small preparation area outside the tent, changing make-up and making sure he was all tidy for the upcoming show. The exorcist approached the aging man and handed him the letter, "Neah has a few words for you, Mana."

He took the letter and opened it slowly. Inside was an explanation of what Neah was planning to do:

_Mana-_

_I hope Cross makes it to you safely so that my message gets to you. You undoubtedly know of my plans to take down the Noah clan. What Cross told you is true. My goal is to destroy them so that never again can anyone be harmed by the Akuma or the clan._

_I have control over the Ark and can disrupt the Earl's control of it. I want to use this to keep the exorcists safe in their journey while they find the Innocence fragments and their hosts. I know that the Earl is catching on to my plans and by the time you read this, he will most likely have caught me, but do not worry. I will be fine. I'm a Noah, too, so it won't be that easy for him to kill me._

_I plan on returning to your side soon, brother, as soon as I defeat the Earl and assume control of the clan. Be ready for me._

_Your brother_

_Neah_

Mana's face looked worried even from beneath the make-up, "Cross, he's going to get himself killed. What do I do?"

The exorcist stared at his friend before sitting down on the cold, wet grass, "I'm not sure, Mana. He's going to try to kill them all no matter what I tell him. He seems determined, but I'll let him know to at least prepare for the worst. Knowing Neah, he probably already knows the incredible danger in his plan and is ready for it."

"When will you be meeting up with him again?"

"In a few weeks, why?" The clown stared at the ground before answering the question.

"I'll be waiting for him here. Tell him to come here when he finishes what he's doing." Cross gave Mana a look of concern, but nodded after a moment.

"I'll tell him."

And with that the general left.

At almost thirty years old, Neah had been planning the destruction of the Noah clan for nearly ten years. His plans were about to be set into motion and the final piece was the exorcist to whom he was trusting everything he had.

The tension in the family was rising as everyone began to suspect that Neah had more up his sleeve than messing with the Ark. He couldn't wait for Cross any longer. He was going to have to use an upcoming attack to begin executing the clan. It was now or never.


	12. The Player

History of a Mystery

**-The Player-**

_At almost thirty years old, Neah had been planning the destruction of the Noah clan for nearly ten years. His plans were about to be set into motion and the final piece was the exorcist to whom he was trusting everything he had._

_The tension in the family was rising as everyone began to suspect that Neah had more up his sleeve than messing with the Ark. He couldn't wait for Cross any longer. He was going to have to use an upcoming attack to begin executing the clan. It was now or never._

In a large meeting room, several hundred people were gathered. The usual formalities, however, like silence, were completely abandoned as the purpose of the meeting was announced by the Finders.

"What do you mean they were killed?" The question rang throughout the Black Order Headquarters as Supervisor Mackley was told the news.

"Just what I said, sir," the Finder who'd seen the event couldn't seem to get it through is head, "The Noah clan was almost completely annihilated!"

"What happened," everyone in the meeting room rang out in unison. As soon as the noise stopped, the Finder began his story.

_**The dark night was interrupted by a large, cube-like object appearing in the sky above the plains of eastern Europe. This object, the Ark everyone had been talking about since it appeared above the exorcists in Africa, settled on the countryside in silence. A small group of people hid in the bushes nearby (the Finders) and watched the events unfold.**_

_**The entire Noah clan emerged from the Ark swiftly and silently and prepared to converge on a tiny town only a few hundred meters away. Their movements were so quick that even the Finders had trouble keeping up with them.**_

"_**What could be so important that all fourteen Noah are going after it at once?" One young Finder asked his division leader. The older man simply shook his head.**_

"_**I have no idea, but it's big. We're here following rumors of a large mass of Innocence. Perhaps that's what they're after, too."**_

_**The tiny village was not far from their hiding spot and it didn't take them long to get there, but the Noah beat them to it and just as they reached the edge of town, the Finders could hear screams. The Akuma were shortly behind, ransacking what few houses weren't hit by a Noah. Hundreds of these living machines descended upon the village, leaving no stone unturned and no person alive.**_

_**The Finders could only freeze and watch as the entire town was destroyed right before their eyes. The attack took less than five minutes, but the devastation was great. The Noah gathered in what was left of the town square and assessed the situation. The young Finder, Devon was his name, glimpsed at the group in confusion and turned to his superior.**_

"_**There are Noah missing. I thought all fourteen were here. Now there's only twelve. Where'd the other two go?" The older man simply shrugged at his subordinate before turning his gaze back to the group of men and women in the clearing.**_

"_**I have no idea, Devon. Perhaps they aren't finished searching yet."**_

"_**There's nothing left to search for. They decimated the entire town. If there was Innocence here they have all of it." Devon frowned at the thought that the Order was about to lose so many Innocence fragments, but realized that there was nothing that could be done. He just sat and watched with the rest of his unit.**_

_**The Noah clan seemed to notice the missing members as well. The Earl stood in the middle of the group and tried to get each one to tell him where they'd last seen the missing two. None could answer immediately.**_

_**Devon tried hard to listen in on the conversation.**_

"_**Where'd that blasted boy go? I hope he doesn't have anything to do with Wrath's disappearance." The Finders recognized who was missing now. Cross, through the young Noah Neah, had given the Order the names of all the Noah clan family members, including Neah himself. They knew for sure that one of the missing Noah was Wrath, the possessor of the anger memories. As to who else was missing, Devon knew that none of the names had come with faces so none of the Finders were able to identify who else wasn't there. However, the answer to his unspoken question wasn't too far behind.**_

"_**Damn that blasted Musician! If he started anything it'll be the death of him!" The Earl's anger was unheard of in the Order. He was almost always calm whenever anyone came into contact with him.**_

_**The identity of the other missing Noah was none other than their correspondent in the clan. Cross had explained that although his name was Neah, he was often referred to as the Musician or the Fourteenth since he didn't seem to have a proper Noah name like the rest did.**_

_**The Finders listened carefully as the Earl ordered everyone to spread out and search for their clansmen. The eleven people fanned out while the Earl stayed in his place. His anger was too great to help with the search. He'd destroy everything and kill everyone in his rampage, especially if he found what the young female Noah found only a few minutes later.**_

"_**MASTER EARL!" the scream rang out from the North end of town. The entire family moved to respond, but the Earl simply raised his hand and issued an order out of anger, "Keep looking. She's most likely only found one. I want the rest of you to continue looking for the other." With this he made his way to where the young girl was located.**_

_**The division leader signaled Devon to move to the North end to see what was going on. He obeyed and as soon as he made it into position the issue of who'd been found was resolved.**_

"_**You've found him, Rhode. Don't worry. He'll return to us in time." The Earl told the girl, who'd started crying. The bloodied mess of a body that, judging from the Earl's response, must've belonged to Wrath was lying amidst the rubble of a small shop.**_

_**Now the only remaining mystery was the whereabouts of the Musician. The man had disappeared after Wrath had been found and was nowhere to be found. The Earl expressed his observation that this fight had been too easy and that the only way Wrath could've been killed was by another Noah. Of course, Neah was the prime suspect now that he had fled.**_

_**But was he truly gone?**_

_**The Finders didn't think that the Noah was going to give up easily now that he'd begun his rampage. The others were still searching for him as an eerie tune began to permeate throughout the village.**_

"_**It's him!" The Earl yelled, "He's here in the village! Find him before he strikes again!" The clan fanned out again to look for the traitor.**_

_**Devon returned to the unit and reported his observation to his superior, "The missing Noah Wrath was murdered, sir. The Earl is searching now for the Fourteenth to kill him before he kills anyone else."**_

"_**Yes, I've noticed," the older man commented, staring off into the fields between the Ark and the village. Devon looked in the direction the others seemed mesmerized with and soon joined in their surprise.**_

_**The man in question was standing in those fields with an evil smirk on his face. The music Devon had heard on the North end of town seemed to be coming from him, 'That must be the Fourteenth. The Musician in the act.'**_

_**Neah was standing in the field with his hands in his pockets. He watched with glee as the clan began to realize what was going on. He was corralling them into the field towards him. The pack on Devon's back buzzed as a message began to arrive from an unknown source. The others looked at him in surprise as he slowly pulled his pack off to answer the phone.**_

"_**This is the Latvia unit." He answered slowly.**_

_**The voice on the other end was unfamiliar, yet seemed to know the Finders were there and who they were, "You must get out of here. I cannot guarantee that you won't be collateral damage in this upcoming battle."**_

"_**Who is this?"**_

"_**Telekinesis is a wonderful ability we Noah possess. I have kept the Order informed on the Earl's movements, and now they're trying to catch me in the act. Tell the Order to send General Cross Marian to Edo in one week." The connection cut out as a wall of energy engulfed the Noah clan gathering in the field. The Finders could still see what was going on inside the transparent dome, but could no longer communicate with their informant.**_

"_**Was that the Musician?" The division leader asked quietly. Devon shrugged, "I guess so. He did say he was keeping the Order up on the clan's movements."**_

_**The group's attention returned to the field where the Noah were descending on their attacker. Neah stood with the same grin on his face he'd had the entire time. That evil smirk fit the personality which Cross had spoken so much about.**_

_**Once the clan stopped moving the Earl opened his mouth, apparently to ask a question. The youngest Noah answered his master's question and the attack began.**_

_**The Finders could only watch in awe as the Noah attacked one of their own.**_

-END-

_Yes, I intended to end this chapter in the middle of the flashback. There is a rhyme to my reason, so please bear with me. Send a review and I will give you the next chapter!_


	13. The Battle

History of a Mystery

**-The Battle-**

_The Finders could only watch in awe as the Noah attacked one of their own._

The entire Order stood in awe as the Finders finished their story. One of the few remaining exorcists chimed in once the tale was finished, "How many Noah are left?"

"The Earl and four Noah," Devon answered quickly, "but several of the remaining Noah were gravely injured. I wouldn't be surprised if they died before getting too far. The Musician escaped in the Ark once the damage had been done and we aren't sure where he went. The only clue he gave us was the request to send Cross to Edo."

"He's on his way now. He should meet up with the Noah by the deadline." Mackley inserted into the conversation. "I told him to report back here when their meeting is finished so that we can record the most recent events in the Clan."

The scenery in Edo was exotic as usual. Cross always enjoyed Japan and came to visit often even though the Noah clan controlled almost all of it. The man was here on business, however, as he'd received an order from Mackley to meet the rebel Noah in Edo for an unknown reason.

A small bar loomed ahead of the General as he approached the location of his rendezvous with the Musician. The older man had a death wish and Cross was going to have to deal with the consequences in some way. The building was run down and dull but still in use, so the exorcist entered without hesitation. The message from Neah had been to meet here in this bar in the outskirts of Edo. Very few people occupied the old place, but one in particular stood out. One man sat alone at the counter, his appearance far outshining the shabby tavern he sat in. His tan overcoat hung over the back of the stool he sat on as he ordered a drink from the bartender. The General approached the man and sat on the stool beside him, also ordering a drink, "Hello, Neah. Been a while, hasn't it?"

The Noah turned to the exorcist and nodded his head, "It has, Cross. I'm glad you got the message. I wasn't sure if those Finders were going to survive to tell their tale." The look of wear on his face was very pronounced. Cross could see that the man had been through an intense battle. Several bandages covered his face and hands, but none other than the large one bulging through his shirt looked very serious.

"You've been through hell. They weren't kidding when they said you took on the whole clan were they?" The Noah shook his head in response, taking a sip of his drink before opening his mouth again.

"I've gotten all but four, and I think at least two have died since last night. I'm so close, Cross. My next move will be to kill the Earl." The exorcist slammed his glass down on the bar with such force that what little murmur had been buzzing through the bar stopped immediately and all attention turned to the oddly matched pair.

"You're going to be killed! There's no way you can kill the Earl if you still have to get through two more Noah!"

"That's why I requested to meet with you, Cross. I need to ask you for a favor."

Cross grimaced at that statement. He knew from experience that this wasn't going to go well. The phrase 'I need to ask you a favor' always ended in something dark.

"I can tell you have an idea where this is headed. Yes, Cross, I have to ask you a favor because I don't anticipate surviving. I know full well that this will be my final battle and I will die at the hands of the Earl. However, I have come up with a plan to return. I plan on passing my power to a human, someone who will be safe from the Earl until my memories can fully awaken in him."

"You are going to give up your power to control the Ark, your power as the Musician, to a human? Is this before or after you face the Earl?"

"Before. I plan on doing this before I find the Earl. I've locked the Ark on to Edo and no one can get into my room but the two whom I choose to give my license as the player and controller of the Ark. The first I've already chosen." The exorcist looked at the Noah in surprise, edging the man to clarify his point.

"You've already chosen the first player?"

"Yes," Neah answered with a nod, "I've modified Tim so that he can hold the Score. I'm leaving it to you to protect. He will know when the second player emerges."

"What will you do if the host dies before your memory awakens?"

"That's just the thing. I'm not going to give them to any living human. Tim will hold the memories and YOU will be the one to implant them later on."

"Wait," Cross said in surprise, "How will I know who you want to have the memories?"

The Noah gave a soft chuckle, "Tim will know who it should be. You two will be endowed with my 'will' and this will let you know that you have chosen correctly. The only stipulation is that you implant them into a newborn child so as to not traumatize the new host. Also, I need to ask this one last favor of you."

"What is it?"

"Watch over Mana. It'll be so much easier for you to find the host because the child in whom you implant the memories will become very close to Mana. If you watch over him, I'll return to you."

The journey back to Edo was a long one for Neah as he knew what lie there waiting for him when he returned: death. Ten years of planning and plotting always led him to the same inevitable conclusion. The Earl was going to kill him and there was no other way around it. At least he'd managed to take out almost everyone else. He also knew that a Noah killing his fellow Noah would result in a time lag in the reincarnations so it would be a while before they'd see their new Noah. However, that also meant that his own reincarnation wouldn't come around until long after the others were born. He gave a soft chuckle, 'That's the nature of being the extra. You always come into the picture last.'

Upon finally arriving back in Edo, Neah could tell that the Earl was bent on destroying him. The akuma were eyeing him dangerously, though they could not harm him even if they'd been ordered to. The Noah blood was too strong to resist even if another had given his death order.

The Earl was waiting for him just outside the now paralyzed Ark in human form. Neah knew that this was going to be incredibly difficult to take, seeing as how the man only took human form when he was particularly intent on destroying someone himself. A smirk grew on the man's face as he approached his demise.

"Good evening, boy. I hope your journey went well." The Earl's normally cheery tone was completely dark now. The smile on Neah's face grew larger as he stopped a few yards in front of him.

"Hello, Earl. Dare I ask the purpose of the personality shift?" He enjoyed tormenting the Earl, especially since he knew full well why he was acting that way.

"My dear boy you've done what none other before you could ever have dreamed. You are the first to incur my wrath and you shall feel it, boy. I never would have thought it would be one of my own Noah that I would have to destroy."

"Did you truly think that an extra clan member would be without consequence? There's a reason why there have never been any others before now. My existence proves that your time is up."

"Yes, you are correct, but I will not give up my post that easily." The Earl's face grew dark and cunning, "Though I must admit that you are talented. It will take me a long time before I can figure out a way around your little locking spell, Neah. If you release it I may consider sparing your life."

"I'm afraid that's not possible, Earl. I am no longer the Musician. You'll have to find my player before you can release the hold on the Ark."

The nearly emotionless face of the Earl turned to pure anger, "You gave away your powers? How dare you! You were chosen to receive those powers for a reason. No Noah must ever pass their talents on to another. Your betrayal is even worse than I expected, boy." He released his hold on Lero, that infernal umbrella-shaped golem that held the Earl's Score, who floated over to Rhode screeching that the master Earl was going to kill one of his own. Rhode herself looked on in horror that yet another of her clan was going to die. The shock of losing all but herself and the Earl was devastating and now they were adding to it by killing the only other remaining family member.

The only remaining ability Neah had was the dark matter. He could no longer protect himself with his music and thus his primary defense was gone. After he'd explained to Cross what he was doing he pulled a small amulet from his pocket and gave it to Tim, who ate it. This amulet, he explained, was where his memory was stored. Now all he had was the dark matter he'd learned to control and that wouldn't last long against the Earl.

"I see you and Rhode are the only ones present for this little charade, Earl." The man eyed the small girl hiding near the Ark.

"The others are recuperating in the Ark. You really did a number on our little family, Fourteenth. I knew you'd be trouble but I didn't expect this much from you. It'll bring me much joy to kill you."

'Damn, I didn't manage to wipe everyone out. No matter. I won't go down without a fight. I'll do all I can to bring you with me.' Neah thoughts ringing loud and clear in his head. The smile on his face disappeared as he launched himself towards the Earl, a wave of dark matter radiating ahead of him. His attack caught the Earl by surprise but that was all it did. The sneaky man dodged the wave and retaliated with one of his own. The younger Noah didn't have nearly enough time to prevent being hit head on and was thrown backwards by the force of the attack.

Rhode and Lero watched from the sidelines as the two men fought. They were almost evenly matched as a few of Neah's attacks finally struck once the Earl had begun to slow down. Even only having the power of dark matter the traitor seemed to be able to almost overpower the Earl. She could only imagine if he'd actually kept his powers.

It was when the Earl brought out his sword that Neah shifted to defensive mode. He couldn't fend off that for very long and he didn't want to stick around to allow the Earl to end the fight with it. It was then that the man decided it was time to run. Shooting off a large blast of dark matter into the ground, Neah made a quick getaway while the dust settled. He needed time to meet up with Mana and lead him to safety before the Earl could find him again. Neah knew that his next encounter with the clan leader would be his last. He had to make sure that his plan wasn't ruined by the loss of his brother, the one person who could help him destroy the Earl when he returned.


	14. The Death

**-The Death-**

_It was when the Earl brought out his sword that Neah shifted to defensive mode. He couldn't fend off that for very long and he didn't want to stick around to allow the Earl to end the fight with it. It was then that the man decided it was time to run. Shooting off a large blast of dark matter into the ground, Neah made a quick getaway while the dust settled. He needed time to meet up with Mana and lead him to safety before the Earl could find him again. Neah knew that his next encounter with the clan leader would be his last. He had to make sure that his plan wasn't ruined by the loss of his brother, the one person who could help him destroy the Earl when he returned._

Neah's final correspondence with Cross led him to Mana's hiding place in England where his brother's troupe was currently set. The look on the clown's face was of pure and utter shock when he saw his younger brother appear suddenly at the end of a show. He quickly sat Neah down in his tent and cleaned himself up.

"I need to tell the ringmaster I'm leaving, Neah. Stay here and I'll be right back. They deserve to know." Neah nodded at his brother's statement and Mana left the tent in search of his employer. The ex-Noah sat in silence for only a short time before his brother returned with a smile on his face.

"I explained to the ringmaster that I had a family emergency and had to leave the country for a while. He'll keep my position available if I come back." Neah could clearly tell that Mana wasn't as happy as he was letting on. He'd been interrupted from a happy life to help hide his brother from his inevitable death.

"I wish I hadn't had to make you leave your job, Mana. I know you were happy there." Neah said apologetically to his brother. Mana merely smiled and put a hand on his shoulder.

"I knew this was coming. You need me now more than ever and I am determined to see you through to your last days, brother." The sadness in his voice was apparent. Cross had told him that Neah had planned on getting himself killed just to set the clock in motion for whomever he'd chosen to be the player. The older man was fully aware of everything and Neah could see the pain on his brother's face when he told him he'd be there until the end.

Several months passed and each of the remaining clan members took turns trying to hunt him down to deliver the traitor to the Earl for death. Each battle grew harder for Neah as he could feel his powers beginning to wane as the consequences of giving them to someone else began to show. Even so, he destroyed two of the remaining four easily; they'd been caught off guard by his acrobatic maneuvers and he could turn their powers against them. He'd always used his music for protection and fighting, so no one had ever known that he'd been training himself privately for just this situation.

The last Noah he encountered was the Noah of Pleasure and he was the hardest to kill. His ability to phase through anything made him difficult to hit with severely digressing powers but with time and a little luck Neah managed to dispatch him as well.

Rhode had survived her fight and had learned her lesson. He didn't see her again until the day the Earl finally found him.

A steady rain had been falling for a few hours and Neah had just gone out for a brisk walk after sending Mana to their latest hiding spot. He left to contemplate their future now that the only remaining obstacle was the Earl himself, an encounter that he knew would result in his death.

So far Neah knew that the Earl did not have any clue as to Mana's identity or whereabouts, and Walker was such a common name that if he ever came across him he wouldn't recognize him as Neah's brother.

What he didn't realize due to his nearly vanished powers was that the Earl had been tracking him with Akuma. The machines reported his location to the clan head and he arrived just in time to startle the man in a remote but open field, "I see you've managed to survive your encounters with the others." His anger was intensifying at the reminder that Neah had all but decimated his family. Only he and Rhode remained now and he wanted to keep it that way. The traitor had to go.

"I'm still alive, Earl, very much alive."

"Yet your powers are diminished. You've lost your powers almost completely. I doubt you'll last very long this time around, boy," the Earl stated as he summoned his sword. The bulky weapon usually spelled death for any who happened to be on the wrong side of his temper and today, it was Neah. Now an ordinary human he was unable to even use Dark Matter to defend himself. All he had to rely on was his agility and he hoped it would be enough to alert the Order, which he knew had sent spies to watch him while he ran with Mana.

"Why don't you let Rhode fight for you? You never seem to want to get involved any another time, Earl." Neah knew he was pushing his luck with that statement. The Earl's anger only grew as he launched himself towards the man who'd killed his entire clan.

"She's been hurt enough without needing to kill you herself. No, my dear boy, this fight is between you and me," he said, swinging his sword at the younger Noah. Neah barely managed to dodge before being blasted by a wave of dark matter from the Earl. It hit him nearly head on sending him careening backwards into the trees surrounding the clearing. After almost smashing through a large oak tree he fell to the ground in pain, trying to catch his breath as his shocked body tried to recover from the blow. His face and clothes were covered in blood and dirt, his jacket discarded near the tree he'd hit.

"Come back out here, boy. I know you're not finished yet." The Earl's taunting words only served to irritate Neah. There wasn't much he could do besides attempt to dodge all the attacks, but now that he was weakened he would find it more difficult.

He ran back across the field towards the Earl, dodging several energy blasts and a few sword blows. His luck finally returned when Neah managed to land a kick, which he thought would stun the Earl long enough for him to make an attempt at Rhode.

No one noticed the visitor lurking in the trees opposite the battle. The hiding man watched as the fight progressed and couldn't help but cover his mouth in horror.

As Neah made his move to attack Rhode, who was still recovering from her own fight with him, was momentarily defenseless and completely caught off guard that a mere human could make a hit on the Earl. All she could do was stand in shock as he came at her with a malicious look in his eyes.

'I've done it!' he thought to himself. 'I'll finally destroy the clan once and for all.' The joy he felt was cut short when Rhode suddenly gave a small smile. It only took the man a fraction of a second to realize what this meant. The girl sidestepped just in time for Neah to feel a wave of energy smash into his back. The pain was intense and he could feel his body straining with each passing second. He hit the ground with a bone crushing thud, laying him out dazed in the grass. The Earl approached him as he struggled to move and gazed down at him with angry eyes.

"You will not touch Rhode. She has suffered enough without any further help from you. The only person you'll be fighting today is me. Try to remember that."

Neah managed to roll onto his back and face the Earl. He knew he was about to die, but he wanted to watch his killer as it happened.

"The Millenium Earl would never just sit by and allow events like this to unfold. It's my job to stop it. I've spent the last five months hunting you down having not a single hint as to where you'd gone until my Akuma found you." Shoving his sword into the ground the Earl bent down to pick his victim off of the ground. The anger coursing through his body turned to ecstasy as he registered the fact that he'd caught his prey after a long hunt. Neah's bloody body was limp in his arms, the injuries sustained taking their toll on his now fully weakened human body. Just as the last of his power drained away, the Earl sent a shock wave of energy through him. Too weak to scream, the only thing Neah could do was cringe in pain, his heavy breathing compensating for the yell he couldn't release. The Earl laughed as his victim struggled against his grasp as he sent pulse after pulse coursing through him. When the traitor went limp, the Earl dropped him with a nearly lifeless thud, "Now you'll never pose a threat to my family again, Fourteenth. You're finished here and now, no longer a threat to me. Be aware I will be looking for this so called 'player' that you've left behind. His fate will be much the same as yours. Goodbye, brother."

Mana sat in the small inn where his brother had dropped him off. The night was dark and damp and he had no idea where the younger man had run off to. Neah seemed to enjoy disappearing just after leaving him bored in a tiny room. He became curious after about half an hour as to what his younger brother was up to this late at night and silently left the inn to go look for him against his better judgment. The rain didn't take long to soak through his already wet clothes, leaving him shivering from head to toe.

Knowing his brother liked open spaces, Mana made his way across town to a park that would normally be full of children playing as their mothers watched from afar. Today, however, the rain kept everyone inside and the park was deserted save for a few homeless refugees trying to seek shelter beneath the trees. A scan of the area showed no sign of Neah, so Mana moved on to the edge of town where the buildings ended and the fields began.

As he made his way through the small wooded area just beyond a wheat field, Mana could hear yells coming from just a few hundred meters away on the other side of the trees. A loud crash inside the forest caught his attention and he found himself frozen in alarm. After a few moment she heard a man call into the woods, followed momentarily by the swift sounds of two people fighting.

'I hope that isn't who I think it is,' Mana thought to himself. 'If the Earl found Neah then he's done for.' He pushed his way through to the other side of the woods and watched while the fight raged on. What he saw was none other than his younger brother fighting for his life as the Earl landed blow after blow on his weakening frame. Mana's hand flew to his mouth as he watched, the sight of what was likely going to become the death of his only remaining family unfolded.

And then it happened. Mana saw the Earl pick Neah off of the ground and begin radiating his energy through his body. The straining man fought with all his remaining strength to fend off the attacks. Mana tried hard to prevent himself from calling out to his brother. He managed to control himself even as Neah's body went limp and fell to the ground. He controlled himself until the Earl and Rhode left before running frantically towards his brother. He only made it half way when he was tackled to the ground by an unseen force.

"Don't touch him. I'll take a look but stay away until I can assess the damage," the hoarse voice said in his ear. Mana managed to free himself to see Cross looking down at him. The exorcist made his way over to where his friend's lifeless-looking body lay unmoving in the grass. He knelt by his side, hesitant to touch his friend for fear of causing more damage. A soft groan was all the sign that the man was still alive. Cross placed a hand on his chest, "Neah, it's Cross. I'm here with Mana."

The ex-Noah looked at him wearily, "Why did Mana come here. I- I told him to stay at the inn." The pain in his voice was strong as he struggled with each breath to squeeze his words out.

"I came to look for you," the other brother replied from behind Cross, "Because I was worried that you'd gotten yourself into just this type of situation." Mana's voice was sad. His younger brother's dying body lay before him and all he could do was reprimand him for his actions.

The younger man give a pained smile, "I'm sorry, Mana. I knew this was going to happen. I just hoped you wouldn't have to see it."

"How is he, Cross?" Mana asked with worry. The exorcist gave a small sigh and turned to the older man with a grim look on his face. "He's not going to survive this, Mana. The way he looks I'm surprised he's even alive after hitting the ground."

Tears came to Mana's eyes when Cross said this. He dropped to his knees and put his head in his hands, "I wish I could've been of some help to you, brother. I've only been a burden on you since you came to me five months ago. I should've been able to protect you like an older brother should."

A short snicker came from his brother's mouth, "The Earl doesn't need to know you exist. I've ensured your safety and with my death you will never have to worry about the clan finding you. You're important for my future, brother."

"Future? Neah, this is nonsense! You're dying right now. What future do you have?"

"In due time, Mana," Cross added into the conversation, "There's a whole other side to this story that you don't know."

"And you won't know," Neah added weakly, "I can't tell you what I need you to do. You'll do what needs to be done on your own." A final gasp of pain escaped his lips before his body went limp in the mud. His unmoving body shocking the two men by his side.

With his brother's body in his arms, Mana let loose a blood curdling cry into the night as the rain fell at its hardest yet.

Twenty years later the child was born who would one day become the Musician's new host.

-FIN-

_That's the end of the Mystery of the Fourteenth. I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please review and tell me what you thought of it. If I get enough suggestions perhaps I'll fix some of the rough spots in the chapters._

_Check out the One-shot sequel The Player to Whom the License was Given to be posted soon!_

_HEARTS! KaraKurama_


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